when we learn something, the hardware and software of our brain changes. so get ready for the brain up to 40 to the answer to almost everything. starts january 15th on d, w ah, [000:00:00;00] ah, business d w. use alive from berlin, brush us defense ministry says it's forces have taken control of solid dog. ukraine denies the claim and says its troops are still that the eastern ukrainian town

could be strategically important for russia in the don baths. region also coming up, flood ravaged california braces for even more heavy rain full cost us our warning off the potential for disastrous flooding as powerful storms take aim at the state yet again. and people fever sweeps iraq as it hosts. the 1st gulf cup is the 1st time in over 40 years that iraq has held the tournament off the fee for lifted. the ban on iraq posting international matches ah i'm all on soccer. it's good to have you with us. russia claims it's forces have taken the town of solider and east and ukraine. if true, it would mark a red victory for moscow after months of battlefield setbacks. ukraine's military leaders reject the claim saying its soldiers holding the russian advance and the

battle is undergoing. ah, in freezing winter conditions, ukrainian soldiers in sally dark face, a bleak battle against russia's constant attacks. the fight here is bloody and brutal. ah. russia is determined to take control of this small soft mining town in the eastern region of de next, a rare push forward after numerous military setbacks. its forces are already claiming victory was the only never complete control. so it makes it possible to cut off the supply line. the red printer force is located in on the southwest back on vent, laughlin close the ukrainian units located there, 1 o'clock, and run a zillion ukraine swiftly rejected the claim that us valid. now the terrorist state in its propaganda,

so trying to pretend that our city of solid are almost completely destroyed by the occupy as is some kind of achievement for russia cities. but they're already presenting this as a success to their society in order to support the military mobilization and give hope to those who want aggression. but the fighting continues. the nets front we is holding the lives in market among the loss of sally dark would be a blow for ukraine. after months of hard one successes retaking towns and territories, but the fighting comes at a high cost. it's close. come, but we have gunshots. yeah, we have for grenades, shrapner wounds and so on. so this kind of wounds. in increased rush i claims to was killed, hundreds of ukrainian soldiers in the battle for solid arg back there is no

confirmed death toil more than $550.00 civilians are reportedly still living in the town in heretic conditions without running water or electricity of both russia and ukraine still claim to have control of solid. um, i'll still be you russia, analyst constantine. i get in vilnius who is winning the battle well has to be on the ground to testify. but i think that judging by our interviews that are given by a colleagues of those ukrainian soldiers that fought in saudi dar, it is well fairly accurate to assume that 3 thirds are solid, are under the control of the russian army, or rather, the russian mercenary group. the so called wagner group, it is also maybe clear that there are pockets are great resistors inside the

city. so the battle continues. but for now, it seems, i will say very, very provisionally that the russian forces are gaining the upper hand. russia has been throwing a lot of resources on taking solid. i you also mentioned the wagner group, the why so much for such a small town? well, because a solid are is seen as a particularly important strategic point. that it is opening the road towards encircling a much larger ukrainian for forces or in the area of bar moot, which the russian sources continue to go by solid name are kiosk, and this could lead to an isolation of the main ukranian battle group. that is a poise to inflict damage on the russian forces in the don't boss area as

a whole. so in a sense, the russian seed as an important stage towards eliminating ukrainian threat to dom bus. that's how we've seen from moscow. are you friends? western allies are promising on the vehicles and training for ukrainian soldiers within the next few months. how might that change the pace of the war? look, this is the question, not only of this battle, this is the question of 2023. as such. what we have is essentially the russian federation, conducting a barbaric, early 20th century war in which thousands and thousands and thousands of untrained recruits. and sometimes just criminals lifted from prisons being thrown at the front at basically no regard for human cost on the other hand. but russia is a huge country, it's, it's a $140000000.00 countries still have

a significant resources of this. if i may say so it's very rude. cameron, photo that put in things you can throw on the front. on the other hand, you have your dream forces, which are much smaller and will continue to be smaller just because the countries much smaller, armed with sophisticated western weaponry which is very dangerous to the russian forces. and today what essentially we have is a confrontation between 1021st century technology and early 20th century methods of war. i, i think that 2023 will show whether ukraine has enough weapons from the west to actually win this 21st century war against those who fight a war which, which is essentially a 100 years old. konstantin, thank you very much for your insight. that's d, w, russia, analyst, constantine, i get in the less and explosion has damaged a key natural gas pipeline in northern lithuania, flames,

up to 50 meters high. was seen shooting from the and the great pipeline. as operator said, it's so no indication of sabotage, but that supplies no than the plainer and to neighboring last year could be disrupted. no injuries have been reported, but a nearby village has been evacuated. as a look at some other stories making headlines around the world. in germany, media reports are circulating that defense minister christine alum place is planning to resign. the social democrat was widely criticized for a new year's message in which she addressed the war in ukraine with fireworks in the background. somebody has also been criticized for failing to modernize germany's military. iran says it has hang the british iranian national ali risa. barry was a former top defense official and iran and was convicted of spying for the united kingdom. the u. case. foreign secretary says the case is politically motivated.

iran has one of the world's highest execution rates for his president, dina bullard, they has made a televised apology for dozens of deaths. cost in protests in recent weeks says she will not resign. she also swore in 3 new cabinet members after a string of resignation. supporters of ousted president pedro castillo, are demanding new elections, and the removal of blood in the united states. republicans in congress have launched an investigation into the troop withdrawal from afghanistan in 2021 chaos erotic when the us pulled out of the country and the taliban rita control a bomb attacked at the capitol. it killed more than $170.00 african civilians. and 13 soldiers forecasts as our warning that disastrous flooding could had parts of california this weekend. the u. s. states has been battered by a series of storms that have killed at least 19 people near record rainfall. over

the past 3 weeks has left the ground in many areas waterlogged and unable to absorb any more rain. the water level at this river in north western california continues to rise. the public is on alert as authorities warn of more rounds of stormy weather. the ground is saturated, it is extremely, extremely dangerous, especially in these high vulnerable areas. and that water can continue to rise well after the storms have passed. so our message is clear, please know your surroundings. this fear, thousands of acres of crop plan could be inundated by the overflowing rivers. heating the warnings farmers dig out, drainage ditches and officials work to stop rivers from breaking their banks. operational priority in preparation for that is to ensure that the water stays

within its bangs. so if we were assessing some of the levy structure, we're, we're assessing what we can do to, to fight the flood. the relentless and powerful storms have caused devastation in many areas cause in homes, remain submerged, and thousands remain under evacuation. orders. the rains have ease, extreme drought in the state, but a huge cost. scientists say climate change is responsible for more frequent and intense storms. europe pass the new gateway to space that's after e officials on friday, integrated the 1st orbit, a launch pad on the european mainland. the new facility in arctic sweden will complement europe's other spaceport in tropical french guiana. as designed to launch more small satellites, which among other things can be used to track natural disasters or to monitor

active conflicts like the war and ukraine. or in the vast expanse of futons, frozen wilderness, a space boat launch satellites. for the european union, new doors to speak, our opening. at the 3 speak center in sweden, european officials in our politic the arbiter launch complex, the european space. it's a big moment for europe. it's a big moment for europe, space industry. the 1st arbiter launch site on european mainland. this space port offers and independent european gateway to space is exactly the infrastructure we need. officially, i hopeful the new facility will help strengthen youth security. the current geopolitical situation, not least, of course,

the russian invasion of ukraine has demonstrated how important it is, but the european union has access to space. the 5th thought. we also allow the you to better monitor climate, change pollution deforestation. and to track natural disasters. that data can help countries in taking better deficiency and devising environmentally friendly strategies. the fact that like light is expected next year, and that would make food in the 1st country in europe, besides russia, to launch a satellite from its land. after 33 years, international football has returned to iraq, safer band iraq from hosting international matches. after saddam saddam said invaded kuwait in 1990, the band was lifted last year. and now the gulf cup tournament has returned to iraq . ah, after decades of waiting, iraqi fans are celebrating the return of international football. iraq is hosting

the gulf cup for the 1st time since 1979. the year it won its 1st of 3 titles in the competition. poncas harbor one who lives here in bus. it all was so excited about the gulf cup that when the tickets were posted online, they were sold out in just a few hours clean. and i faxed them when i did that fee for band iraq from hosting internationals. after the invasion of kuwait, the band was only fully lifted last year. and now locals in the host city. boshra are excited to show the world a brighter, lighter side of life in a country emerging from 3 decades of up people. oh, and her been known all alone. we want to show the world our life is more than just war. we have another part of our life that's beautiful apart that loves happiness, life and positivity. and that's the most important thing with the fall is the how to she will, and the iraqi government has cancelled standard $200.00 visa fees to try and

further encourage foreign fans global lesson. i'm not a law got along. we used to hear a lot of things about iraqi yell of me, but when we came here, our view totally changed on there is security for the our journey to get her was safe. we feel as if we were in kuwait. good luck, but it gives it to the comfortable with iraqi fans. are hoping to see their team succeed. ambassador is brand new stadium just as importantly, they want the world to feel at home as they resume their role. as international hosts, they're watching the don't use alive from berlin all day back at the top of the hour, with another update for you to take care of a departure into the unknown. to day this means flying to a foreign planet. in the 16th century it meant being